Home for the Holidays: Recognizing Signs Your Parents May Need At-Home Care
Millions of Americans choose to age in place, but as they grow older, they may need assistance with completing daily tasks. In fact, Forbes estimates that one in five seniors will need personal senior care after reaching the age of 85. Older adults who were less active in their younger years or who suffer from chronic illnesses tend to need help sooner than others.
Because of this, holiday visits with parents often involve adult children looking for signs that Mom or Dad needs help. Many senior parents are aware of their children’s concerns and take extra precautions before they arrive. This helps to reduce suspicions and tensions but can mean seniors don’t always get the care they need. So, how do you know if your parents need senior care at home?
- Piles of Unfinished Business
Virtually everyone has evidence of unfinished business in their homes, so keep this in mind. Still, AARP recommends that you try to identify if this is getting out of hand at your parents’ home. Do they have key legal and financial documents lying around? Are letters half-open and in the living room or office space? Have they been keeping up with bills? Do you notice any missing checks? Compare this to their usual habits to see if senior care can help.
- More Time Spent at Home
Not everyone’s parents are social butterflies. Some also willingly retire from social life once the kids leave the nest so they can focus on their marriage and personal hobbies. Even so, if your parents are spending more time at home than usual, this may signal declining mobility. If your parent lives alone, also consider the potential implications of loneliness. Time magazine estimates that one in three elderly people suffer from loneliness. Senior care is one way to provide companionship on a regular basis.
- Unexplained Bruises
Parents know that falls often precede serious declines in health and general welfare. They also know that you know this. For this reason, they may not tell you when they fall or otherwise hurt themselves. Forbes advises that if agility is a problem, you can tell by how they get around. Are they holding on to rails or doorframes and moving slowly? These are some signs that senior care may now be necessary to keep them safe at home.
- Damage to the Motor Vehicle
Unless you share an insurance policy with your parents, the insurance company will not notify you of an accident. If your parents got into a one-car accident with no casualties, they may not report it to their insurance company at all. However, you might notice the damage from new dents and dings on a car that was previously kept in pristine condition. This could mean it’s time to get someone else to drive them around.
Some parents remain active throughout their senior years. They travel across the country as full-time RVers, do yoga every Tuesday or grow their own food. However, even the most energetic of people can become less active over time and need senior care to maintain their independence at home.
Choosing the right company is important to ensure your parents get the high level of care they deserve. Care Assist provides home care in Chattanooga so you can worry less about your loved ones. Contact us today for more information.
Sources:
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/howardgleckman/2018/05/04/a-new-snapshot-of-older-adults-in-the-us/#f70d6ee39d76
- https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/basics/info-2017/neglect-warning-signs-ag.html
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2015/10/28/7-signs-your-aging-parents-need-extra-help/#4bae284353f5
- https://time.com/5541166/loneliness-old-age/